UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality is a global grantmaking fund and an aid effectiveness
instrument dedicated to the advancement of women’s economic and political empowerment
at local, national and regional levels.

What types of grant programmes does the Fund for Gender Equality support?

Thematically, the Fund will continue to award Women’s Economic or Political Empowerment
Grants with a focus on women in situations of marginalization:

Women’s Political Empowerment Grants:

To increase women’s political participation, leadership, and influence in the decisions
that affect their lives, including through leadership trainings and education and
with a focus on youth.

Women’s Economic Empowerment Grants:

To increase women’s political participation, leadership, and influence in the decisions
that affect their lives, including through leadership trainings and education and
with a focus on youth.

Who manages the Fund for Gender Equality?

A Secretariat manages the Fund’s activities at UN Women’s headquarters in New York,
USA and relies on its Regional Monitoring and Reporting Specialists located in UN
Women’s country, sub-regional and regional offices for the monitoring of its grants.

The Secretariat is guided by a Steering Committee comprised of a rotating group
of representatives from donor and programme countries, civil society organizations,
and multilateral agencies.

What is the size range of grants?

Grant size will range from a minimum of US$200,000 to a maximum of US$1 million
distributed over a period of one to three years.

Women’s community-based, national or regional non-governmental organizations:A
“women’s organization” is an organization in which women make up a majority of leadership
positions and hold a majority of the board are eligible to apply for a grant from
the Fund for Gender Equality. In the case of women’s NGOs this can include, but
is not limited to, women’s community-based organizations; women’s agricultural cooperatives
and associations; women-led workers’ organizations; local, national or regional
women’s funds; women’s human rights organizations; regional women’s networks.

Local or national governmental entitiesare also eligible to apply. These
can include, but are not limited to, ministries of gender equality, finance, labor,
and justice; human rights and electoral commissions; local governments; and parliamentary
caucuses. Please note that regional or inter-governmental agencies are not eligible
to apply.

If several organizations are applying together, how should they divide up the
roles and responsibilities?

The lead and/or co-lead applicants are accountable for project management and contractual
obligations. Additional “Non-lead” implementation partners may be part of the programme
proposed, but non-lead partners cannot receive any direct disbursement of funds
from the Fund for Gender Equality.

Transfer of money to non-lead partners can be executed by the lead and/or co-lead
directly. The Fund highly encourages the use of Memorandums of Understanding to
define roles, responsibilities and lines of accountability among lead and co-lead
partners and among non-lead partners.

The roles and responsibilities of the lead/co-lead/non-lead partners – for example,
the implementation of specific components of the proposed intervention – should
be described in the proposal.

Which countries are eligible to apply from the Africa, Asia and the Pacific,
Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean?

For the second phase of grant making in the Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe
and Central Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, applications will be accepted
from the countries that can be found on the UN Women website.

Can programmes in the Arab States apply for the Second Phase of the Call (to
be launched in 2012)?

No. For the second phase of grantmaking applications are only being accepted from
programmes in eligible countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central
Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The first phase of grantmaking, the in the Arab States, has already closed. Please
visit FGE’s website to see a list of the 2011-2012 Arab State Grantees.

Does the Fund for Gender Equality support regional or multi-country programmes?

Yes, the Fund for Gender Equality supports multi-country (operating in several countries)
as well as regional programmes.

For multi-country programmes: lead and co-lead women’s NGOs who plan
multi-country implementations, may implement programmes in a maximum of 4 countries.
In this case please note that the lead and co-lead organizations must be registered
in their home country.

For regional programmes: the network must be legally registered as
a women’s non-governmental organization/association in one of the countries of programme
implementation. Networks must focus their work on a maximum of 4 countries for the
duration of the proposed programme.

Do I need to be a legally registered entity/organization to apply?

Yes. Lead and co-lead non-governmental women’s organizations must be
legally registered in their home country. Lead and co-lead non-governmental women’s
organizations proposing a multi-country programme must be legally
registered in their home country.

Articles of incorporation or other proof of legal registration are a required attachment
for any grant application. Applications without these documents will be considered
incomplete and will be withdrawn from the application process.

Regional networks proposing a regional programme must be legally registered
as a women’s non-governmental organization/association in one of the countries of
programme implementation.

Can organizations that are not legally registered apply?

No, organizations that are not legally registered are not eligible to apply.

Non-governmental organizations that do not focus on women’s issues or are not led
by women

Research institutions, think tanks or academic institutions

Organizations with global scope, even those with local offices in eligible countries
(e.g. international charitable organizations with national boards, grantmaking organizations
that fund in more than one region)

No. The Fund for Gender Equality seeks to fund local efforts and partnerships. Multilateral
organizations (UN organizations, international financial institutions, etc) are
not eligible to apply for grants, and cannot apply as either a lead or a co-lead
partner.

Can international non-governmental organizations (such as confederations of organizations)
with local offices apply?

No. The Fund for Gender Equality seeks to fund local efforts and partnerships. International
NGOs (e.g. international charitable organizations with national boards, grantmaking
organizations that fund in more than one region), even those with local offices
in eligible countries, are not eligible to apply for grants and cannot apply as
either a lead or a co-lead partner.

Can I apply if I am based in the global North but the programme is in an eligible
country or territory?

No. International organizations with headquarters in the United States or Western
Europe are not eligible and may not apply as either a lead or a co-lead partner.

Can I apply for a programme based in multiple countries?

Yes. Multi-country or regional programmes may be implemented in a maximum of 4 countries,
provided that the lead and co-lead non-governmental women’s organizations proposing
a multi-country programme are legally registered in their home country. However,
applicant organizations applying for multi-country or regional programmes can only
submit only ONE application for this grantmaking cycle.Organizations that submit
multiple applications will be automatically disqualified.

May I submit more than one application?

No. Organizations that submit multiple applications will be automatically disqualified.

Can an organization be a lead or co-lead on one application and a partner (non-lead)
on another application?

No, organizations can submit only one application as either a lead, a co-lead or
an additional non-lead partner.

What kinds of programmes are not funded by the Fund for Gender Equality?

The Fund for Gender Equality will not consider requests to fund:

Programmes with an exclusive focus on the elimination of violence against women,
as these are funded by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. (For more
information about the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women can be accessed
through this link: http://www.unwomen.org/how-we-work/un-trust-fund. )

Can grantees with ongoing projects funded by the Fund for Gender Equality apply
for new grants?

No, grantees with ongoing projects at the time of the Call for Proposals cannot
apply for a new grant at this time.

Can an organization that has received a grant in a previous funding cycle submit
a new proposal?

Yes, provided the organization has submitted their final reports; complied with
all grant closure requirements for their previous FGE funded programme and received
their final tranche of funds, they may compete again for funds.

Can an eligible organization submit the same proposal to another funding source
besides the Fund for Gender Equality? If yes, what if two or more funding sources
approve the same proposal for a grant?

Yes. Eligible organizations are encouraged to submit their proposals to additional
funding sources, as the Fund for Gender Equality is extremely competitive and receives
many more proposals than it is able to fund. In the case of two or more funding
sources approving the same grant, organizations would be expected to communicate:

Whether funding from the Fund for Gender Equality and additional sources cover the
entire cost of the proposed programme;

Whether there is still a funding gap, and the organization’s proposed strategies
to bridge that gap;

Whether the amount received exceeds the resources required for the programme, and
the exact amount that will be needed from the Fund for Gender Equality.

Are the categories of Catalytic and Implementation grants from the Fund for Gender
Equality’s first grantmaking cycle still applicable?

No. The Fund has changed its formula for funding based on lessons learned from the
first call. We no longer divide our grants between Implementation and Catalytic
Programmes, instead, we are focusing on our two types of grants: women’s political
or economic empowerment.

This depends on whether the lead and/or co-lead are from civil society or a government.
While all applicants – whenever possible – are encouraged to make financial and/or
in-kind contributions, non-governmental/civil society organizations are notrequired to do so.

However, governmental agencies arerequired to provide a statement
of commitment to or proof of matching funds—equivalent to the grant amount that
they specifically are requesting from the Fund for Gender Equality—to be applied
toward programme implementation (this applies to all governmental agencies as lead
and co-lead). Proposals from governmental agencies without identified commitment
will be automatically disqualified.

For governmental applicants only, programmes that demonstrate higher levels
(than matching levels) of government contributions to the programme will
be prioritized.*

UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality does not support costs of infrastructure such
as purchase of land, property, acquisition of office space, construction or repair
of existing buildings or offices, including for example, the building and furnishing
of service facilities, shelters or short-stay homes.

What is meant by “direct programme costs”?

Direct programme costs are all costs that are incurred for and can be traced, in
full to the activities, projects and programmes of an organization in fulfillment
of its mandate and any other inputs necessary to achieve the results and objectives
established for programmes and projects.

Must a minimum amount be budgeted for monitoring and evaluation?

Yes. UN Women recommends that 10% of the total budget should be allocated for evaluation
purposes and 2-3% of the total budget be allocated to ongoing monitoring, baseline
and end line studies.

Must a minimum amount be budgeted for administrative costs?

Yes. The rate of indirect costs (Administrative Costs) shall be fixed at a 7% of
the total of the budget.

Must a minimum amount be budgeted for training costs?

Yes. 5% of total programme budget should be reserved for training costs including
the Fund for Gender Equality required training on Results-Based Management during
the mandatory Technical Assistance phase and one convening that the Fund will have
with all its grantees during the next year after the grant award.

Are there any restrictions on the purchase of equipment?

Yes. A list of any equipment valued at over $1,500 should be provided to the Fund’s
Secretariat and each item should be properly marked and inventoried. Purchase of
any equipment over the threshold of $30,000 must first be approved by the Fund’s
Secretariat and details must be provided to ensure a transparent procurement process.
Further details regarding the sale of such equipments at the end of the programme
will be provided at a later date.

What costs should be allocated under the “Other” category?

The “Other” category is meant to allocate programme funds for any unforeseen costs
in programme implementation. It is recommended that the “Other” category not be
more than 1-2% of the total budget. Organizations are encouraged to plan accordingly
for possible unforeseen costs arising during the project implementation in the budget.

What are the Fund for Gender Equality auditing requirements?

For programmes under $750,000 USD, a clean audit certificate of the organization
is required annually (with clear confirmation that FGE funds have been separately
identified). In addition, for grants above $750,000 USD, a specific audit of FGE
funds will be required from the grantee partner once in the lifetime of the programme
(when 70% of total grant amount has been disbursed).

Is creating additional budget lines permissible?

No. The existing budget lines should be used to detail all costs relevant to the
satisfactory completion of the project.

Can an already awarded organization request additional funds during implementation?

No. Requests for budget increases cannot be accommodated. The budget awarded with
a grantee contract represents the total funds available and allocated for the programme.

Will the grant amount awarded by the FGE to successful applicants be the exact
grant amount requested by the applicant?

No. FGE conducts analysis of the financials of successful grant applicants. Based
on this analysis, as well as the total budget available for this grant cycle, and
the grantee track record, FGE may adjust the final financial award (which is often
lower than the amount requested).

The Fund for Gender Equality will conduct this grantmaking cycle in a staggered
manner in order to further increase access and language availability.

The first phase of the current grantmaking cycle (2011-2012) in the Arab States
has now closed. March 1st, 2012 FGE will open the second grantmaking phase
to applicants from eligible countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and
Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The timeline for the second phase of the 2011-2012 Call for Proposals (in Africa,
Asia and the Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean)
is as follows:

Fund for Gender Equality Second Call for Proposals (Phase II) announced, including
sample Grant Application Form

March 1st, 2012

Online Application period for submission of Grant Applications from eligible
countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia and Latin America
and the Caribbean

March 12th – March 23rd , 2012

Technical Committee reviews and recommends grants from eligible countries
in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia and Latin America and the
Caribbean

April 16th – June 8th, 2012

Semi-Finalists for Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia
and Latin America and the Caribbean notified

Grants from eligible countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central
Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean announced

October 1st, 2012

Successful grantees will be required to participate in results-based-management
training to revise and prepare detailed work plans (grantees must allocate a % of
their FGE grant award to pay for the travel costs for this training

October 2012 (dates to be confirmed)

Can I submit my application in a language other than English?

Yes. Applicants for the second phase of the 2011-2012 grantmaking cycle (in eligible
countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, and Latin America
and the Caribbean), may submit their applications in English, French or Spanish.

Grant Applications mustbe submitted via the Online Application Database.
In addition to the Grant Application, applicants will have to submit all required
attachments. Please see the Call for Proposals for specific details.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early in order to ensure they have sufficient
time to fill out the application and upload all required attachments before the
close date.

What are required attachments for my grant application?

Please see the Call for Proposals for specific details regarding required attachments
that must be uploaded through the Fund’s online application. Note:

All attachments must be submitted in one of the Fund’s eligible languages (English,
French and Spanish).Applicants must provide translations into English of these
required attachments if they are selected as semi-finalists. Note that the
rest of the application will not need to be translated, only the attachments.

Accepted attachment formats include: .doc, .xml, .pdf and .jpeg.

Please note that the lead and co-lead organizations can only upload two files per
section. If you have multiple documents please merge them into one.

Applications without these documents will be withdrawn from the application process.

No. Only applications submitted via the online application will be accepted.

What is the process for assessing Grant Applications?

Proposals are assessed by an independent Technical Committee comprised of experts
in women’s economic and political empowerment, who are based in the regions of the
world, to ensure contextual analysis of the proposed programmes.

How will I know if I have been selected as a Semi-Finalist?

Selected semi-finalists will be notified by email on or before June 15, 2012. Semi-Finalists
will be invited to participate in a Technical Assistance phase during which they
will develop a Full-Fledged project Document; a programme results chain and a final
budget.

Is the Semi-Finalist Technical Assistance phase mandatory?

Yes. All Semi-Finalists must participate in the Technical Assistance phase and submit
a Full-Fledged project Document; a programme results chain and a final budget in
order to continue to be considered in the assessment process

How will I know if my application has been selected to receive a grant from the
Fund for Gender Equality?

Grantees from eligible countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central
Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean regions will be announced in October 2012
on the FGE website.

How many grant applications will be selected?

Due to the high volume of proposals received, only a small percentage of applicants
will be successful in the Fund for Gender Equality application process.

Can I contact FGE for an update on my application?

No. Due to the high volume of proposals received, it is not possible to offer individual
feedback on specific proposals.

How can I contact FGE if I have a technical question or an inquiry related to
the application process?

The Frequently Asked Questions address most issues/problems that might arise in
the application process. Please read the answers to the questions carefully. Only
if you do not find the answer here, please send an email to fund.genderequality@unwomen.org with “APPLICATION HELP”
and your name in the subject line.

In order to retrieve your password, go the online application website http://fundforgenderequality.unwomen.org/index.php
Click on the link entitled “Forgot your Password.” An automated message will
be sent the email associated with your account with instructions on how to reset
your password.

Can I switch the language of my application once I have begun filling out my
application?

No. There is no way to switch languages once you have made your initial language
selection. If you do want to choose a different language, you will have to start
from the beginning and create a new login with a different email address and password.

In what languages is the application available?

In the second phase of the 2011-2012 grantmaking cycle for eligible countries in
Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, and Latin America and the
Caribbean, the online application is available in English, French and Spanish.

Is there any difference between the English, French and Spanish applications?

No. The application documents and application process are exactly the same in all
languages.

Do I have to fill out the application in order?

No, the application does not have to be filled out in order. Use the navigation
links on right hand side of the application to move from section to section. Make
sure to save your work often by clicking on the “Save” button on the bottom of each
page or on the right hand side.

Do I have to fill the application out at once?

No, with your user name and password you can log in as many times as needed to complete
the application.

Yes. You can click on “Print Application”, located on the right hand side navigation
to print your application.

Can I save my application to a WORD document?

No. There is no way to save your application as a Word document.

How do I know when I have completely filled out my application?

In the application, on the right hand side, there is a section called “Application
Sections.” When all the mandatory fields of the application are filled out, a green
check mark will appear next to the “Organization Information” and “Required Attachments”
sections. At that point, your application is complete, and you can click on the
Submit Application link.

How do I submit my application?

Once your application is complete (see question above) click on the “Submit Application”
link, located on the right hand side navigation panel. On the following page, you
will be asked to confirm your submission by clicking on the “Submit My application
Now” link. An email message will be sent to the account associated with the application
confirming that the application has been successfully submitted.

Can I make changes to my application after I have submitted it?

No, it is not possible to reopen a submitted application under any circumstances.

What do the red asterisks mean?

Questions marked with a red asterisk signify that they are mandatory and must be
filled out in order to submit the application.

What do the green checkmarks next to the categories in the Navigation / Checklist
mean?

The green check marks signify that a section has been fully completed. Before being
able to submit your application there must be a check mark by each section.

Let’s say I finish filling out a section and the green check mark does not appear
next to a section name?

Review the sections missing the green check mark and ensure that all the questions
with a red asterisk are filled out.

What if I only have my documents (annual reports, etc.) in hard copies, not on
a computer?

For hard copies, please scan your documents and upload them as PDFs. No mailed documents
will be accepted.

What if there are not enough upload fields for me to upload all my attachments?

There are a limited amount of upload fields and so applicants will need to save
all the supporting documents for one question into one or two files, depending on
the question and number of upload fields available. FGE will not accept any documents
sent by email, fax or post.

I am trying to upload a file, but am having problems. What do I do?

Your files can not exceed 5 MB in size. If your file is larger than 5 MB, please
consider scanning only the pertinent sections and re-trying. If you are still having
problems, please send an email to fund.genderequality@unwomen.org with “APPLICATION
HELP” and your name in the subject line.

It is highly recommended that groups apply as early as possible to become familiar
with the online technology (groups can begin to upload the required documents the
first week of the online application for example). Required attachments take time
to collect. Please prepare those as soon as possible in appropriate formats.

Are the word limits the same if I'm applying for a programme in multiple countries?

Yes. The word limits are the same for single- and multiple-country applicants. Please
do not exceed the stated limits.